Cap brake for sealing machine



Feb. 25, 1964 J. c. RUNCO 3,121,984

CAP BRAKE FOR SEALING MACHINE Filed March 22, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

INVENTOR. Q I L/OSCPH C-APwvCO MMWJ ,qrroervey Feb. 25, 1964 J. c. RUNCO 3 ,9

CAP BRAKE FOR SEALING MACHINE Filed March 22, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOSEPH C. 470M210 J. c. RUNCO 3,121,984

CAP BRAKE FOR SEALING MACHINE Filed u arcn 22. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I u I I 1 i I E- r'Tql United States Patent 3,121,984 CAP BRAKE FGR SEALING MAHINE Joseph C. Runco, Lancas er, Ohio, assign'or to Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, Lancaster, Ohio, a corporation of Delawane Filed Mar. 22, 1961, Ser. N 97,5?6 Claims. (Cl. 53-67) The present invention relates to container sealing machines and more particularly to an improved cap feed control device for automatic container sealing machines.

Sealing machines which apply closure caps to filled containers have synchronized container feed mid cap feed systems which bring the filled containers and the caps together at the sealing point in a continuous stream. Where there is a continuous supply of containers, ascontinuously operating closure cap feed operates satisfactorily. Occasionally, however, there is a missing container in the container feed due to irregularities in the container filling and feeding or to breakage or other special circumstances. When this: occurs, it is desirable to cut oft the cap feed with respect to the missing container or containers since the absence of a container may leave an extra unneeded cap in the sealing machine whose presence may cause damage to subsequent containers or to the sealing machine itself.

For this reason safety controls have been provided on sealing machines to prevent the feeding of caps in the absence of a container. These systems are generally known in the industry as no-container no-cap systems. Such systems previously have been incorporated as a mechanical linkage in the cap and container feed systems. These systems have been complex and custom fitted to each particular sealing machine. These mechanical-type systems have also prove-n to be unsuited for reliable operation at higher machine operating speeds such as are now being used to automatically seal containers at the rate of hundreds of containers per minute.

Accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide an improved Ito-container no-cap system.

Another object is to provide a universally adaptable system easily and effectively applied to new or existing sealing machines.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a no-container no-cap system capable of reliable operation at extremely high speeds.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the cap brake of the present invention applied on a high speed turret-type container sealing machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the container sensing means;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the container sensing arm;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the cap brake;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line s s of FIG. 5;

'FlG. 7 is a detailed top plan view of another embodiment of a cap brake;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along 88 of FIG. 7;

F-IG. 9 is a diagrammatic representation of another embodiment of the cap brake system; and

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic representation of still another embodiment of the cap brake system.

The improved cap brake of the present invention will first be described generally with particular reference to FIG. 1. :FIG. 1 is a plan view of a typical rotary-type container sealing machine. Such rotary sealing machines are well known and the machine illustrated at FIG. 1 will only be described to the degree necessary to facilitate the description of the new cap brake as applied to such a sealing machine.

The sealing machine 1 canries containers 2 from an input position .3 around a sealing turret 4 to an exit position 5 on a flexible conveyor belt or chain 6. Each of the containers 2. is first moved by the belt 6 into contact with a container spacing star wheel 7 which spaces and positions the containers 2 to place each container 2 beneath one of the individual sealing heads 8 on the turret 4-. Each of the sealing heads 8 receives a closure cap 9 from a closure cap feeding star wheel 19 and thereafter presses or screws the cap 9 onto the container 2 as the sea-ling heads 8 and the contai ers 2 move on corresponding arcuate paths at the turret 4. The sealed containers 2 are moved outwardly from the turret 4 towards the exit position 5 under the control of an exit star wheel 11.

It can thus be seen that the cap feeding star wheel 10 feeds one closure cap 9 from the cap feed '12 for each container 2 which passes through the sealing machine 1. Each cap 9 is transferred from the cap star wheel 10 to a container sealing head 8 and thence by the sealing head 8 to a container 2.

From time to time the continuity of the line of containers 2 being fed into the sealing machine input 3 is interrupted or one or more containers 2 may be missing from the pockets of the input star wheel 7, due to failures in the container filling machinery, breakage of the containers 2, or other reasons. When this occurs it is desirable that no caps 9 be fed to the sealing heads 8 which correspond to the empty pockets on the feed star wheel 7. This is necessary since the feeding of a closure cap 9 to these sealing heads leaves closure caps in the sealing turret which are not applied to a container. The presence of these unused caps on the sealing heads 8 during the next sealing cycle results in the feeding of extra closure caps 9 to the sealing heads 3. This results in jamming, breakage or closure cap damage. This jamming or breakage may interfere both with particular containers being sealed and with the over-all operation of the sealing machine which may be jammed up causing it to be shut down for the clearing of the trouble.

A preferred embodiment of applioants cap brake is shown applied to the sealing machine 1 of FIG. 1. The cap brake comprises a container sensing device 13 mounted adjacent to the machine input 3 and having a container contact 14 which is held in its normal inoperative position by the presence of a continuous line of containers 2 on conveyor 6 in the pockets of the container spacing helicoid 15.

As will be more fully described below, the container sensing device 13 is coupled to a cap brake 16 mounted as illustrated in FIG. 1 at the lower end of the feed chute 17 of the cap feed 12. The 'absence of la container .2 in a pocket of the helicoid 15 is sensed by the contact arm 14 of the sensing device 13 causing the 'cap brake 16 to openate thereby preventing the feeding of a cap 9 to the sealing head 3 which corresponds to the empty pocket in the helicoid l5 and the container feeding star Wheel 7.

The container sensing device 13 is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. As shown in these figures, the container sensing device 13 is adjustably mounted by means of a suitable bracket 18 at the side of the conveyor belt 6. The container contact arm 14 is pivotally mounted at pivot 19 on one end of the bracket 18. The contact arm 14 has a container engaging shoe 20 at its outer end adapted for sliding contact with the side walls of the containers being moved past it by the combined action of the conveyor 6 and the helicoid 15. The shoe 2% preferably has a contact insert of a suitable long wearing and smooth material such as Teflon. An air valve 21 is mounted on the bracket 18 'adjacent the inner end 22 of the contact arm 14. A contact 23 on the inner end 22 of the contact arm 14 engages plunger 24 of the air valve 21. When the contact arm 14 is swung outwardly of the conveyor in its normal operating position by a continuous line of containers 2 as illustrated in FIG. 2, contact 23 holds the air valve plunger 24 in its brake-E position. The absence of a container 2 in one of the pockets of the helicoid 15 permits the contact arm 14 to swing inwardly of the conveyor 6 under the force of the air valve plunger spring 26. When the sensing arm 14 thus swings inwardly against the restraining stop 27, the air valve plunger 24 is moved to its brake-on position causing the cap brake 16 to engage the lowermost cap in the cap chute 17 to prevent its entrance into the cap feeding star wheel 10.

Thus as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, absence of a container from the helicoid pocket 28 will cause the cap brake 16 to engage the lowermost cap 9 in the chute 17. This cap normally would have been fed through star wheel to scaling head 29 which corresponds to pocket 30 in the container feed star wheel 7. The operation of the cap brake 16 prevents the feeding of the lowermost cap 9 and leaves corresponding pocket 31 of the cap feed wheel 10 empty. The presence of the next successive container 2 in the pocket 32 of the helicoid swings the contact arm 14 back out to its brake-off position thereby causing air valve 21 to release the cap brake 16.

Preferred embodiments of the cap brake 16 and air valve 21 are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. As seen in these figures the cap brake 16 comprises a plunger 33 having a cap braking shoe 34 at its lower end and a piston 35 at its upper end. The piston 35 is slidably mounted in the chamber 36 which has spaced at ports 37 and 38 at its lower and upper ends, respectively. These ports are connected to the ott and on air outlets 39 and 40, respectively, of air valve 21. A suitable resilient cover 41 is mounted on the lower surface of the cap braking shoe 34.

Cap brake 16 is illustrated in its on position in FIG. 6 which corresponds to the position indicated for the cap sensing means 13 in FIG. 1 where the cap contact arm 14 has moved inwardly of the conveyor 6 due to the absence of a container 2 in the helicoid 15. In this position it will be seen that the plunger 24 has been moved by the force of spring 26 so that a source of compressed air 42 is supplied to the top side of the piston 35 through channel 43 of the air valve slide member 44. The lower side of piston 35 is coupled to the atmosphere through port 39, channel 45 and air outlet 46. When the next successive container 2 strikes the contact arm 14 plunger 24 and its interconnected slide member 44 are moved to their ofli' position in which the lower side of piston 35 is connected to air source 42 through channel 43. The upper side of the piston 35 is vented to the atmosphere through air outlet 40, channel 47 and air outlet 48.

Since the brake shoe 34 contacts the covers of the closures 9 in the braking position 'as illustrated in FIG. 6, it is clear that the exact position of the cap 9 under the cap brake 16 is not critical. As long as the resilient cover 41 engages any portion of the cap cover, the cap 9 will be locked against movement from the chute 17 into the cap feed Wheel 10. The resiliently covered cap brake shoe 34 also provides for a tight braking o-r locking action without scratching or otherwise damaging the caps 9 since it engages the cap over the relatively large area provided by the resilient cover 41.

Another embodiment of the cap brake is illustrated in FIG. 7. In this embodiment the lowermost cap 9 is locked or braked by a latch 49 pivotally mounted at St) on the end of the cap chute 17. The latch 49 is operatively connected at 51 to the piston rod 52 of an air operated piston 53 having a piston 54. This air operated motor functions in a manner similar to that described above for the air operated piston motor of the cap brake 16 under the control of an air valve such as air valve 21.

FIGURES 9 and 10 illustrate additional embodiments in which the coupling between the sensing means and the cap brake is an electrical circuit.

In the system illustrated in FIG. 9, a container contacting arm 55 is operatively connected to a switch 56 in electrical circuit 57. When a container 58 is missing on the conveyor 59 the arm 55 swings inwardly of the conveyor 59 to close the switch 56. This connects the voltage source 61 across a solenoid 62 which operates an air valve 63. The air valve 63 is similar to the above described air valve 21 and it operates an air operated piston motor 64 to lock caps in the cap chute 65.

In the embodiment of FIG. 10 the switch 66 on the contact arm 67 is closed when a container is missing and the closing of switch 66 applies voltage from source 68 directly across the solenoid 69 which has a brake shoe 70 mounted directly on its movable armature 71. The closing of the switch 66 lowers the armature and the brake shoe 70 against the lowermost cap in cap chute 72.

It will be seen that an improved automatic cap brake has been provided for sealing machines which is capable of operation at high speeds, which is not critical in the adjustment required in synchronizing its operation and which is easily applied to all types of sealing machines both existing and newly designed. The cap brake also provides an effective braking or locking action with no scratching or deformation of the closure caps.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a cap feed for a sealing machine having a container feed synchronized with the cap feed and having a container sensing means for sensing the absence of a container in the container feed the improvement which comprises a motor at said cap feed operatively coupled to said sensing means, and a friction brake member operatively coupled to said motor and positioned to frictionally engage a cap in said cap feed to prevent its movement when the sensing means senses the absence of a container in the container feed.

2. In a cap feed for a sealing machine having a container feed synchronized with the cap feed and having a container senisng means for sensing the absence of a container in the container feed the improvement which comprises an air motor at said cap feed operatively coupled to said sensing means, and a friction brake shoe operatively coupled to said motor and positioned at said cap feed to frictionally engage the top of a cap in said cap feed to prevent its movement when the sensing means senses the absence of a container in the container feed.

3. In a cap feed for a sealing machine having a container feed synchronized with the cap feed and having a container sensing means for sensing the absence of a container in the container feed the improvement which comprises a cap chute, an air motor at said cap feed chute operatively coupled to said sensing means, a friction brake member at said cap feed chute movably mounted for removably engaging the top of a cap in said cap feed chute, said air motor including a driven member operatively coupled to said brake member, and a resilient friction lining on the surface of said brake member facing the top of the cap in said chute.

4. In a cap feed for a sealing machine having a container feed synchronized with the cap feed and having a container sensing means for sensing the absence of a container in the container feed the improvement which comprises a cap chute, a solenoid at said cap feed chute coupled to said sensing means, a friction brake member at said cap feed chute movably mounted for removably engaging the top of a cap in said cap feed chute, said solenoid having an armature operatively coupled to said brake member, and a. resilient friction lining on the surface of said brake member for engaging the top of the cap in said chute.

5. In a cap feed for a sealing machine having spaced sealing heads and a container feed synchronized with the cap feed for feeding containers and caps respectively to the sealing heads at spaced positions and having a container sensing means for sensing the absence of a container in the container feed the improvement which comprises a cap feed wheel, a cap chute for transferring caps to said feed wheel, a motor at said cap feed chute operatively coupled to said sensing means, a friction brake member at said cap feed chute movably mounted for removably engaging the top of a cap in said cap feed chute for preventing the transfer of the cap to said feed wheel, said motor having a driven member operatively coupled to said brake member, and a resilient friction lining on the surface of said brake member for engaging the tops of the cap in said chute.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,053,763 Brinton Sept. 8, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 158,803 Australia Sept. 14, 1954 

1. IN A CAP FEED FOR A SEALING MACHINE HAVING A CONTAINER FEED SYNCHRONIZED WITH THE CAP FEED AND HAVING A CONTAINER SENSING MEANS FOR SENSING THE ABSENCE OF A CONTAINER IN THE CONTAINER FEED THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A MOTOR AT SAID CAP FEED OPERATIVELY COUPLED TO SAID SENSING MEANS, AND A FRICTION BRAKE MEMBER OPERATIVELY COUPLED TO SAID MOTOR AND POSITIONED TO FRICTIONALLY ENGAGE A CAP IN SAID CAP FEED TO PREVENT ITS MOVEMENT WHEN THE SENSING MEANS SENSES THE ABSENCE OF A CONTAINER IN THE CONTAINER FEED. 